Best Axes in the UK

Review & Comparison, Last Update March 20, 2024
Today, in the so-called "Digital Age", we've got so many electrical appliances and devices, that some can hardly even imagine for a second how had people lived in the past and how they used to handle all of the manual labour. Just imagine yourself somewhere in medieval times. There is no electricity or chainsaw, but you still need to chop some wood. Take a look at our brand-new axe review and pick the best one! ...Read more ...Read less
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BEST 2024
PROS
CONS
OUR VERDICT
FEATURES
LENGTH
WEIGHT
MATERIAL TYPE
 
PROS

The back side of the axe is quite wide so it can easily be used as a sledgehammer if the need arises.

CONS

This axe is not very convenient to storage or transport.

OUR VERDICT

This axe is ideal for the professional tradesperson or for the one who tends to build or repair things himself and appreciates a certain level of quality.

detailed parameters
FEATURES

Cuneiform blade, a long shock-absorbing rubber grip, a protective casing

LENGTH

933 mm

WEIGHT

2700 g

MATERIAL TYPE

The head part: grain carbon steel

The grip: fibreglass

PROS

Fiskars axe structural features make the blade easier to remove from wood and it makes the chopping real fast.

CONS

It will be inconvenient to use this axe on a rainy day because your hand may slip down when the grip is wet.

OUR VERDICT

This medium-sized axe comes equipped with an ergonomically designed grip and protective pad at one the oldest factories in all of West Europe.

detailed parameters
FEATURES

Advanced bevel convex blade, a plastic protective casing

LENGTH

600 mm

WEIGHT

1500 g

MATERIAL TYPE

The head part: steel

The grip: fiberglass

PROS

The grid of this axe is made of quality and reliable hickory wood which in turn makes it solid and durable.

CONS

The grip's appearance can be somewhat ruined after a short-term period of use.

OUR VERDICT

This is a reliable and durable axe with a blade guard that provides additional safety when the appliance is not being used.

detailed parameters
FEATURES

Quality hickory shaft for strength, a blade guard for safe storage


LENGTH

380 mm

WEIGHT

680 g

MATERIAL TYPE

The head part: grain carbon steel

The grip: hickory

PROS

Draper axe incorporates a finely balanced head from carbon steel and plated tubular steel shaft fitted with nonslip rubber grip. All of these features make this appliance quite durable.

CONS

The blade in the head of an axe needs to be sharpened more often compared to the other models.

OUR VERDICT

The Draper introduces a quality lightweight and medium-length axe which is convenient to use making it easy to perform an accurate hit. 

detailed parameters
FEATURES

A forged carbon steel head, hardened & tempered blade, nonslip rubber grip and a head sleeve

LENGTH

360 mm

WEIGHT

560 g

MATERIAL TYPE

The head part: grain carbon steel

The grip: steel

PROS

This Fiskars axe features a short grip which makes it perfectly fit for kindling small wood for a camp fire.

CONS

This axe will be inconvenient for joinery or larger wood chopping. 

OUR VERDICT

This appliance will be indispensable on the journey, especially the types that involve camping. Although it won't do you any good when it comes to chopping wood, it can easily handle any branches.

detailed parameters
FEATURES

A short convenient grip, a plastic protective casing

LENGTH

231 mm

WEIGHT

560 g

MATERIAL TYPE

The head part: steel

The grip: fiberglass

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Draper Expert 09944

Versatile Maul

The Draper Expert 09944 is a good log splitting axe with a fine grain carbon steel head. This axe's grip is covered with shock-absorbing rubber which makes it reliable and convenient to use. It's a great fit both for professional lumberjacks and for amateur DIYers making it is a reasonable choice for those who appreciate quality. Draper Expert axe can be used for professional and home improvement needs, for carpentry or for harvesting timber. The Draper Expert's long grip allows for a strong strike and the head construction prevents the axe from getting stuck. This tool will allow you to split the logs along their fibers, vertically. When you'll be swinging this axe's weight, it will be important to have enough arc in your swing in order to perform an effective strike and that’s easily achievable with a nice long handle, which is very convenient thanks to the shock-absorbing rubber. But if you had never held an axe in your hands before you must be careful since this one requires a proficient user and not a beginner.

Draper Expert offers you good value for reasonable money and plenty of useful features to improve the wood cutting performance. Like all of the Draper products, this one comes with the Draper Tools guarantee so this one is very good wood cutting axe. And if you need some rough work, it will be easy to do. In some cases this maul is as good as professional felling axe.

Draper Tools is a well-known family-run company which is famous for selling high-quality tools in the United Kingdom and all over the world.

Review of Draper Expert 09944 Log Splitting Maul

Additional Info

    Manufacturer

Last updated price £35.49
Stock In stock
ASIN B002SCOLTY

 

Fiskars 2320468 X17

Reliable and Convenient

This Fiskars axe is a splitting one, similar to the previous model, but it is a little bit smaller and features a different material type. It's not a splitting maul, like the Draper Expert 09944, but a medium splitting axe. That means it contains the same features as the splitting maul but in a more compact shape. Its dimensions make it more convenient to store and transport the tool. Moreover, it is a rather safe model, so it's a good fit not just for the professionals but amateurs as well. Handy size of this axe makes it perfectly suitable for some of the smaller home manual labour, especially when it comes to splitting smaller quantities of fresh wood. On top of that, this axe is good not only for rough work. It is also fit for cutting across wood grain, cutting down stumps, branches and even barks. The model is also not as heavy as an average splitting axe, so you won't feel tired after a few minutes of using it, so you can take your time when it comes to the chopping work. It's not necessary to be a professional lumberjack to operate this axe. You can take care of all your wood knowing full well that you won't feel exhausted afterward. And as wise men often say - a versatile tool is always a good thing to have around the house. And Fiskars made one of the best splitting axe.

Fiskars was started in 1649, making it one of the oldest business enterprises in the entire Western world. And, as you would imagine, over 350 years of experience is a sufficient period to achieve a certain level of excellence when it comes to producing quality tools. Choosing the Fiskars 2320468 X17 means choosing a convenient appliance for a good price.

Review of Fiskars 2320468 X17 Medium Splitting Axe

Additional Info

    Manufacturer

Last updated price $0.00
Stock May be out of stock
ASIN B00YKUG0CS

 

Spear & Jackson Razorsharp

Multi-Purpose Tool

Spear & Jackson Razorsharp qualifies as a hatchet which is a larger type of pocket-size axes. This one is really multifunctional and can be used easily with one hand. Usually, a hatchet can be used either for cutting or for splitting. Regular axes tend to be heavier which is never a good solution if you have plenty of miles of walking ahead of you. Hatches are compact and tough but, at the same time, they are much lighter than your regular axes. Spear & Jackson Razorsharp hatchet has a wooden handle meaning it can absorb more shock while you're busy chopping wood. Drop forged carbon steel head makes this axe durable and reliable and a blade guard provides additional safety when the appliance is not in use. There are a number of potential applications for a hatchet, putting aside the obvious wood chopping or splitting wood. You can also chop smaller branches for your campfire or even chop down a tree, but it will require more time and effort compared to a regular axe. Spear & Jackson made a really versatile appliance that can be used as a tactical or a camping hatchet. To put it bluntly, it is a multifunctional tool. Spear & Jackson’s foundations were laid in 1760, so they have centuries of experience and innovation behind their backs producing and developing some of the best tools and appliances on the market. All the tools are manufactured according to a high-quality standard. On top of that, the company offers exceptional service and durability.

Review of Spear & Jackson Razorsharp Hatchet

Additional Info

    Manufacturer

Last updated price £18.95
Stock In stock
ASIN B002W5VM7Q

 

Draper 28756

Pocket-Sized and Sturdy

The Draper 28756 is a hand axe with a steel shaft which is small similar to the pocket-sized models. This tool is a great fit for camping purposes. This axe balances well on your palm and it is pretty lightweight. Also, it will be appropriate for cutting branches in order to clear the path or felling small trees making it fit for survival conditions. It can even be used as a self-defense weapon against wild animals’ attacks. But this does not preclude its utility at home or near a campfire place. Draper's balanced head is forged from carbon steel. On top of that, it is also hardened, tempered, and lacquered. Nonslip rubber grip makes this axe more convenient and secure. All Draper tools are produced according to high-quality standards and supervised by quality control engineers. Draper always offers a good value for a reasonable price. Steel shaft is solid and tough, also, it's hard to damage it. Moreover, the grip is very light, despite the fact that it is made of metal, which is quite rare. This appliance comes with one of the most reasonable price tags for a good tool, making it quite a bargain. Sometimes this axe is called as a small forest axe. You'll be capable of cutting down stumps, branches off the trees, chopping wood all while carrying it around with exceptional ease thanks to its weight of no more than 560 grams.

Review of Draper 28756 Hand Axe
Last updated price $0.00
Stock May be out of stock
ASIN B009VYBF82

 

Fiskars 2320503 X5

Small but Strong

The Fiskars 2320503 X5 is a small but very strong chopping axe making it a great fit when it comes to working outdoors. Fiskars is a company famous for producing high-quality scissors, so an axe from the same company should feel promising. This axe is extra light but very sturdy and indispensable if we are talking about chopping kindling or small logs outdoors. Despite its weight, this appliance chops wood as well as an average hatchet or a cutting axe. It has a head comprised of steel, which makes it effective without being too heavy. This mini axe has a handle, which is lightweight and absorbs shock during the strike, the material is very strong and will not break. Moreover, insert-molded head ensures that it will never fly off while chopping. Non-slip grip cover makes it comfortable to use and much safer than your average uncovered wooden handle. This axe's soft steel head makes it nice and light but it will not keep its sharpness for long. So make sure you have a sharpening stone in your possession before buying this appliance since a dull axe is one of the most useless appliances out there. On the other hand, this axe is also a good fit when it comes to camping. It's easy to bring it with you anywhere you go and thanks to its small dimensions it's easy to keep it by your side. You'll not need a special place to store it.

Review of Fiskars 2320503 X5 Extra Small Splitting Axe

Additional Info

    Manufacturer

Last updated price £32.99
Stock In stock
ASIN B01J8GQVX6

 

What Is an Axe?

What do we know about axes? An axe is an appliance that is used to chop and cut wood, to crop timber and even as a weapon. For the most part, an axe has a simple construction and consists of a head and a handle (grip or helve). Axes are made of copper, bronze, iron, and steel depending on the available technologies and the handles are usually comprised of wood.

There are different types of axes - a cutting axe, a splitting axe, and a shaping axe, which are classified according to their head shape and a single-bladed and double-bladed axes that are categorised according to their head type. There are plenty of other axes models that feature different shaft length, size and grip materials but generally, nowadays, people tend to choose axes according to the head shape and a grip size.

To sum it up, people choose an appropriate tool for their purposes. If you need to cut a fully grown tree down, you will probably require a really big axe, like a maul or a felling axe (nowadays it's easy to do it with a chainsaw, but sometimes an axe appears to be more appropriate). But if you need to split some little logs, a hatchet should be good enough.

Sources:

1. Axe, Wikipedia.

2. Peter Reese The Best Camp Axes, Activejunky. August 29, 2016.

3. Forestry Tools and Axes, Husqvarna.

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Publish Date: 2017-12-01 13:21:03